 Special Eco Report - June 2008  |
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Clean Conscience—Part One
Agents of eco-friendly home fashions redefine green thinking and debunk the myths and misconceptions of green textiles In a far off indigenous corner of the globe, where words such as plastic and polyester are foreign terms, living off the earth alone is the norm. The more socially advanced parts of the globe are just now embracing this philosophy of living by eating organic foods or wearing clothes made of bamboo. Yet, not all perceptions and practices of green are totally reflective of living as nature intended it. Today’s interior textiles industry represents true and faux concepts of green by either honoring green principles from the start to finish of a product or bending the truth on how ‘green’ a product is made. Act Locally, Think Globally Myth: The problems of the environment do not affect our country or our generation. Fact: Everyone is affected by the problems in the environment, including our current generation and generations to follow. Ian Sharieff, owner and ceo of California-based home furnishings company, Organic Textiles, contends that our environment today is merely reaping what has been sown into it.
Sharieff declares that many people believe that eco hazards are happening elsewhere and, as a result, do not consider that future generations will pay for it tangibly or intangibly. Minimizing the carbon footprint for Organic Textiles means exclusively manufacturing certified organic products locally to help uplift the community and eliminate the need for shipping. “I am concerned with the rate at which we consume things that we don’t need,” says Crispina Ffrench, owner of self-titled home fashions company, Crispina. “Food consumption and compost turn into dirt, but plastic doesn’t do that. [We should] think about what we actually need and don’t need.” Crispina’s motto to think twice about what one consumes is built on its practice of manufacturing textiles domestically from recycled materials, such as jeans, t-shirts, dress shirts and wool sweaters. As a result, there is less of a problem with discarded materials and less of a need to consume fuel for shipping products. Producing domestically also encourages people within the community to get involved. Following the underestimation of the intensity of global eco hazards is the lack of understanding of the different elements involved in green. Codes Of Green Myth: Green is natural, organic and sustainable—they’re all the same. Fact: Each term bears a different meaning in terms of materials used in a product, how and where it is made and who produces it. Quite often, these terms are interchanged, and the general public tends to trust the credibility of a product or company that claims to be green. “Some people have more of a surface knowledge of green and think it simply means to recycle,” observes Tom Rodgers, green team leader and group product manager, Springs Window Fashions. “[Their] exposure to green goes as far as putting garbage in the right cans. But it’s a whole lot broader than that when you think of processing materials and [work ethics].” Springs Window Fashions’ green initiative “Green by Nature” takes into account the culture of green—living by environmentally sound principles and producing green products. The process of going green included hiring a third party organization called International Green House Protocol Standard to evaluate Springs’ production practices and advise them on how to become a true green company. Today, Springs’ employees remain committed to recycling paper, plastic and toner within their offices. The installation of energy-efficient lighting and Energy Star-rated computers, copiers and printers further encourage the green lifestyle in Springs’ offices and plants. Springs’ green manufacturing processes have resulted in 43 million pounds of recycled industrial waste in the past 10 years; 90 million gallons of water saved annually due to a closed-loop water cooling system for plastics manufacturing; and a 71 percent reduction in airborne emissions. The list continues to include green window treatments made from renewable materials such as bamboo, jute, grass and domestic basswood.
Social responsibility is another element that goes hand in hand with producing green textiles. Susan Firestone, founder and owner of Siw Thai Silk recognized the need for a stable and healthy environment for weavers and artisans of Thailand who used toxic chemicals for the dying of fabrics. “Market chemicals that villagers used would [irritate] their eyes,” recalls Firestone. “I wanted my company to ensure that the environment was safe for the workers, so I had them switch to low impact and natural dyes. The weavers loved the change.” Using local plants and bushes to create natural dyes and rice water to refine the silk’s texture are ways in which Siw Thai Silk eliminates toxins. Downright Ltd. has also noticed the benefits of safer production. As the company already produces inherently green products, such as its down comforters that decrease the need for heating, it has recently ventured into organic cotton comforters and pillow shells. Jacaranda Living’s new line of bamboo waffle bathrobes and pure linen throw pillows reflects its commitment to the environment. This change further enhances the company’s position on social responsibility, as its designer Julia Baillie helps South African women support their families by teaching them the craft of sewing. For designer Carrie Peters, creating an organic textiles line satisfied both an environmental and social mission. Peters was always aware of how toxic the textiles industry had become, but soon discovered on a trip to India how the suicide rate among its cotton farmers was a direct result of the industry’s unfair practices. “Those farmers are in severe debt because they owe money to Western companies that [sell them] genetically altered cottonseed [that eventually destroys their farmland],” says Peters. “They have to give in to the system and buy the seeds. But when farmers can’t get out of debt, suicide becomes a way out. This played a big part in my mission to encourage organic cotton farming and products.” Marrying art to activism, Peters’ textiles collection, Raksha Bella—Sanskrit and Latin for ‘protection’ and ‘beautiful’, respectively—aims to restore the livelihood of Indian farmers through fair labor practices and hand-printed organic cotton textiles made with low impact dyes. The Skal and GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard) certifications of Peters’ line not only verify that the product is organic, but that all elements involved in the making of the collections—production facilities, employee wages and benefits, suppliers and work conditions—meet strict standards. This is what makes it truly organic. “People are saying things are organic when they aren’t,” says Joanna Notkin, founder of Canada-based company looolo textiles. “That is a big problem in the working place because you shouldn’t make organic products and not have ethics. You must consider environmental components, logistics, how it is made and how it is shipped.” Looolo textiles are made from 100 percent certified organic wool yarns, organic wool fabrics, cotton canvas and Ceiba tree kapok stuffing. Combined with the use of zero and low impact textile dyes, every looolo collection is both stylish and biodegradable. “A piece from the looolo collection is so true to its organic roots that it can biodegrade in a composter,” avers Notkin. The issue of sustainability closely relates to the definitions of organic and green products. At times, the meanings of green and organic are not always inclusive when defining a sustainable product. “Sustainable [can] mean that you can use old textiles and remake something, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be organic,” declares Sharieff. “[However], it [may have] other environmental benefits.” Amenity Home’s transition to becoming a sustainable home fashions manufacturer included manufacturing products locally in California and using exclusively Skal-certified organic cotton, recycled cotton, hemp and water-based non-toxic dyes. ABC Carpet & Home’s “New Shades of Green” exhibition in April 2008 represented the innovation of sustainable rug design as each collection utilized vegetable dyes and natural materials, such as wool and cotton. EA International, a leader in vinyl packaging solutions, defines sustainable packaging in terms of its lifetime and keeping it out of the landfill. “For textile packaging, if you want to go green, it must be designed so that it’s accessible to the customer and long term in use, ” says Debbie Mills, vice-president, product development and design. Non-woven cotton fabrics, for example, can be utilized as substitutes to create packaging that can later be reused as a shopping, tote or beach bag. Distinguishing among these green terms may take more than signage in the store that explicitly relays the levels of green each product hits. Rodgers suggests that each industry association may have to create its own green system as seen with Energy Star for appliances and LEED for green building. Aside from this, price (more on this next month) is another factor that is often misunderstood among green issues. LDB
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